Baro who was born in 1992 confessed that he has nearly no memories of the 90’s. The big Sampoong mall collapse, or the Seongsu bridge collapse too, don’t exist in his memories. They are stories he’s heard from his parents’ mouths. 20 years ago. Not long after he was born, he plays an already 20 year old, young man and is acting out the events of that time, and helped him realize the time that has gone by.B1A4 has an upcoming comeback in January of the new year. Today’s interview, in the middle of drama filming, and preparing for a new album, to say it simply he’s so busy he has no time to blink. We grabbed a busy Baro to talk a little, and even in his busy schedule without rest, he tried to say exactly what he felt and express himself. And when we asked, ‘Aren’t you tired?’ he said against what was expected, the truth about the work he had piled all around him, but also said, ‘The staff are even more tired than I am. I can still sleep, but the staff, even if they’re sick, they have to keep filming.’If he had been in the spotlight since a young age it would have handicapped him, but before looking after himself, he looks at his surrondings, showing Baro’s maturity so much that he could be referred to as mature beyond his age. His own self has matured and the him from 1994 up to 2013, he has been able to guess the length of time that has passed by. Q. Because you were born in 1992, in 1994 where the drama takes place you weren’t even three. Do you have an memories of the 90’s?Baro: In 1999 I entered elemantary school, so what I remember of the 90’s is only through a picture diary. I really liked that, so I lloked up a lot of people who would have been in their twenties during that time. So things like what they had, the Sampoong mall incident, or the bridge that collapsed. (Q. Whoa! That means you don’t know about the Seongsu Bridge accident!!) That’s right. My mom has told me about some things that happened around then. I even found and started listening to music from then too. The time I started listening to music was when god was at its peak. I liked H.O.T. and S.E.S. too, but by that time the 1st generation of idols had already passed. That was when I listened to DBSK sunbaes a lot.Q. You’re almost doing a historical drama now (laugh). Do you feel the generation gap from people who lived through the 90’s?Baro: Hahaha. Right a historical drama! Um, with the sunbaes and producers who had lived through the 90’s, even with regular things I feel the difference. Even though culture in general changes quickly as time goes by and what we think is different from what the sunbaes think, what the adults are saying isn’t wrong, so I listen carefully.Q. Right, by the way when was your mother born?Baro: My mother was born in 1966. My mom’s a Trash hyung fan. When she says, ‘Yup, you’re playing Binggeurae well. Just keep doing what you’re doing,’ usually right after that she goes, ‘Omo, what to do with Trash oppa.’ (laugh) She says she’ll come to our filming site, but I said, ‘No! Don’t think about it.’Q. But because of the drama it seems that your fan base has gone up a level.Baro: I noticed that noonas in their mid-twenties and men too liked it. The problems Baro faces they can identify with and say, ‘In that time, my situation was similar. Binggeura, you suffered like I did. Right now Binggeurae doesn’t know what he wants to do and is struggling, and the people of the same age and the people who are working right now, but don’t like it and are forcing themselves to do it, can relate to Binggeurae. That’s why I want the problems that Binggeurae is facing now, to be solved in a positive way. It’s because I want to have a character who gives strength to others. Besides his dreams, I hope the episode with his family will be solved positively as well.Q. Then I’m curious about what you, yourself, understand about Binggeurae’s struggle, if you have any similar experiences.Baro: If I was Binggeurae, I wouldn’t have even gone to medical school from the beginning. I would have been willing to run away. However from the time I was little, my parents always supported me in whatever I wanted to do and were willing to accept that. They always said, ‘You can do what you want, do it without regrets.’ So I never went through what Binggeurae went through, but if I did I would have done what I wanted until the end. Though when I look at Binggeurae, he likes music, but because of his shyness he hesitates to make a decision on his college’s festival. Right now Binggeurae really does not know what he likes, or what he likes to do.Q. When you were just a little boy, when did you firmly start dreaming about becoming an artist?Baro: The moment when I came up to Seoul and passed my audition. That was when I was in my 2nd year of high school (t/n: High school is three years in Korea, so the equivalent would be 11th grade). I thought, ‘Ah, through music I’ll fire up my dreams and passion.’ Up until then, honestly I wasn’t sure if I would be able to live off music. I liked hip hop, but it’s not like there were academies where you could learn that kind of thing, but you couldn’t just enjoy it as a hobby and pass. It’s just that then, during our school festival, I participated in a play, and it was then that my parents became serious if I should enter a good university as an acting major. That was my first goal. But right when I started study, my friend suggested that I audition and I passed. I told my parents, that before I hadn’t had a chance with music, though I had some confidence and passion, but now with the chance I was given I could try.Q. If you look by the results, you did end up doing the acting that you had originally wanted to do.Baro: So I really like it. While we were filming I felt that I had really good luck, and that there were no bad people around me. They’re all good people. I do try hard, but the people around me watch and help me out a lot. For example my parents, they helped me go on this road, although there are many families that would be against, but thanks to my parents they helped me go along this path clearer. In my school days, my teachers said too, ‘Do you want to participate in the festival? Do you want to try?’ and they gave me lots of suggestions. My company and members are good and the fans are nice. There’s nothing, but good people. The people I’ve met from filming too, the producers, the actor hyungs, they’re all nice. It’s an environment where I just have to do well too. That’s why recently, whatever chance I get, I don’t think about anything else, but doing all I can. That way around me, it can be happier and be better.Q. I think the bigger environment of the drama has helped your individual growth. But there must have been times where it was hard.Baro: Of course there are times where I was sad or tired. In those times my mind has no freedom and my sight narrows. If there’s anything that’s different now, it would be that I can see further ahead. So I can see the different roads ahead of me. I think my sight has gotten wider. I can think more carefully now too. Before I used to throw tantrums or act without maturity. Ah, I really feel like I’ve learned a lot this year. If feels like as if from debut until now I’ve acted without maturity, but with this drama, I’ve not only experienced the drama. Through other experiences I’ve met many people and thought many different things. But there will definitely be a time, as life goes on, where I’ll think the me now isn’t mature (laugh). Just like how the me right now looks back at the me in my memories as immature.Q. While doing the drama, have there been thoughts about yourself that have changed?Baro: Honestly while doing this drama, I thought of this thing called Baro is really not much. I met a lot of awesome sunbaes, so I think that’s why. I thought that so I can go forward, so that more people will know me, I’ll work really hard. So I’m trying to improve myself. A big worry I have is to make sure to not bother anyone. So after the drama, I became more careful. How much I talk too, has reduced. Whatever I do, before that I think carefully about it. Even if it’s just posting a picture on SNS. So there are things that worry me, just in case my intentions with this chance isn’t like that, if people think ‘I changed.’ I tried hard so that people wouldn’t think I had gotten cocky. I’ve talked recently with one of our members, Sandeul, about it too. But even if I didn’t say it, my members already knew my troubles and understood me. My members of course knew that before you undergo something, you get sharper, and although it isn’t shown on the outside, they understand everything already. So it makes me sorry, but I’m also grateful.Q. It feels like you’ve changed a lot. You’re more mature than your age, and your expression shows that.Baro: Originally I wasn’t very good at talking about these things (laugh). I hear that I’m more mature than my age, nowadays a lot.Q. I’m curious about something, but in the drama the boarding house mother always puts out lots and lots of food. How do you deal with all that food?Baro: Ah, everybody was really curious about that. They make it all on set and everybody eats with that. And there’s a scene where I eat really well, but that’s not to have a food broadcast. It’s really because it’s so delicious. And also because the amount is so larger, when we’re going scene to scene we don’t want it to go down to a normal amount due to scene continuity so we pretend to eat too. But no matter how much we eat there’s always still food. But really, it’s so delicious. The clams, the jeons, the fried eggs, and above all the kimchi is art! Except for the soy sauce crabs, it was a little salty because it needed to ferment some more. Oh right, the bean noodles were really delicious too. Sob.Q. Right if you were a college student in the 90’s what would be the thing you want to to do the most?I would want to go to the Rock Cafe (laugh).Q. For the end, your comeback is coming in January, so could you hint as to what you guys are preparing?Baro: If it’s January, it’s going to be the winter. Right now we’re deciding the concept, creating the jacket cover, and in the middle of preparation. Honestly in the beginning I had to completely focus on ‘Reply 1994.’ It was tiring doing the two things at once. But now my mind feels freer and I’m doing both things. So in the beginning there were things that I was sorry for, for my members. Um, the album that will come out in January fits really with the season, and it also is filled with the stories we want to say. As much as the time has passed, we think we will be able to show a side on a higher level.[TRANS/INT] 131124 #B1A4 Baro, “The ending of ‘Reply 1994’ that I’m hoping for?” (part 1/2) http://tmblr.co/Zp5BUx1BoJ1WY source: ten asia (1); (2) / trans cr: afterJJyoung @ AVIATEB1A4 / Take out with full credit to the sources and translator

B1A4’s Baro. He is in the middle of acting as Binggeurae in ‘Reply 1994.’With a pure face that even when he jokes around it seems he would just laugh innocently. His nickname is even Binggeurae (t/n: Binggeurae means smile), that friend still hasn’t matured and just keeps going. As a twenty-year-old adult he keeps pushing through the most severe mental pains.The idol group B1A4’s Baro is acting in tvN ‘Reply 1994’ as a medical student from Chungbook, this is a story of Binggeurae. He has so many different problems running through his head, so that even when he smiles his pure smile, in that moment he looks so conflicted. Baro has come to live with Binggeurae, and Baro confessed that he has grown mentally.Because Baro’s ‘Reply 1994’ schedule is extremely packed, he was even so busy that he had to carefully save time to sleep. However to challenge acting for the first time was something that he dreamed of since he was young, and was one of the things on his bucket list. To match how busy he got, he also is sorry and thankful for his members, but his members are his best friends, so they know his situation, and already understand him. Even though he is in a bigger world, meeting bigger actor sunbaes, his members are so precious to him, that the time he spends without them is almost a waste. For that reason, lately Baro is more grateful than anyone, and smiles a happy smile.Q. You act so well despite the fact that it’s your first time acting, that it makes me think that you and Binggeurae are the same person. How is it for real? Are you and Binggeurae similar?Baro: Our disposition and personalities (with Binggeurae) are totally different. However the problems and things that Bingeurae thinks about, I’m able to identify with. I’m still just twenty two, and even though I’m a entertainer, I’m still human so I understand the challenges that people in their twenties have. Because of that I think we’re rather similar.Q. Maybe because of Binggeurae’s characteristic timidness, he still seems young. The real Baro seems really mature though.Baro: Oh really? (laugh) Putting my bangs down seems like a good idea.Q. Tell me the process of how you joined ‘Reply 1994.’ I heard that all of B1A4 had gone to audition.Baro: Our company suddenly decided to go out for the audition. But from the beginning they were picking people from Chungcheong-do so I never thought that I would make it (Baro’s real hometown is Jeolla-do, Gwangju). The audition atmosphere was really comfortable. The director (Shin Won-ho PD) was smiling too and welcoming us, so I didn’t get nervous or anything. He just asked ‘Where are you from’ and I said ‘Gwangju’ and they all went “Ah~~~~↘’ (laugh). I thought I wouldn’t make it. Right, but then they gave me the ‘Reply 1997’ script and told me to do it in a Jeolla-do Gwangju version. After when they contacted us to tell me I got Binggeurae’s part, I was really surprised. Later I was reading another interview, and I found out why. They said the image they wanted and my image was similar.Q. The other actors had characters who matched up with their hometowns so it must have been easy for them to speak with satoori, but you got someone from Chungcheong-do, so you must have had to practice.Baro: Right after I got casted I started practicing. One of our members is from Chungcheong-do, so we worked together and practiced. Honestly the Chungcheong-do satoori and the Jeolla-do satoori has similarities so it wasn’t that hard.Q. I heard that even if you weren’t filming, all the actors would use their accents in conversations. So while you were filming did you speak with a Chungcheong-do satoori and when you weren’t filming did you speak with a Jeolla-do satoori?Baro: Haha. It’s a satoori with Jeolla-do, Gyeongsang-do, Chungcheong-do. It’s mixed with all the eight provinces (laugh). When I talk it comes out with a little bit of a Jeolla-do satoori, and with a little bit of a Chungcheong-do satoori. It feels natural now. Right, Trash hyung (Jungwoo) speaks only with a Gyeongsang-do satoori.Q. It looks like you guys don’t call each other by your real names, but by the names from the drama.Baro: That’s right. Samcheonpo, Trash, Najeongie noona I call them like that. And other people call me ‘Geurae, Bingeurae.’Q. You’re acting is so good that it’s hard to believe this is your first time acting. Have you perhaps taken separate acting lessons?Baro: I haven’t received many acting lessons. When I was a trainee, I took classes for a little bit, but I didn’t know how to read a script at all, so I just learned terminology and such. Something that was a lot of help was before we started filming ‘Reply,’ was the long amount of time we did for the reading. We started reading, three months before the filming. From then I started to get acquainted with the other actors. In the drama, there’s a lot of scenes where we’re all together, and we had been together like that since we started the reading, so we were able to get along together well. The atmosphere we have now is a result of the amount of readings we had that were about four hours long each.Q. Because you all met together often for the past several months, you must be as close to each other as you are to your members.Baro: I’m really grateful that the hyungs look after me so well, but for me because they are sunbaes it’s hard to feel close to them. The cool thing is when we go into a cut we all become twenty and in that moment we can act comfortable like friends. ‘Samcheonpo!’, ‘Chilbong-ah!’ We can go like that and act comfortably, but when we go back to reality they’re such big sunbaes so I think, ‘Uh, what should I do,’ sometimes. With our members, we’re definitely close enough so that we can pour out and share what we’re thinking.Q. Who are you the closest to?Baro: Mentally the person I’m closest to is Yoonjin (Tiny-G’s Dohee). We’re two years apart. She’s really cute like a dongsaeng. And she’s small. Luckily Yoonjinie isn’t the type to be timid, so in real life we tend to get along while joking with each other. And Ara noon is 24, so she’s a noona that’s two years older than me so it’s comfortable. But you learn she’s a sunbae to me by 10 years. While we’re acting comfortably, when we look at the script or she talks about her personal experiences I feel like ‘Woah, she’s really a big sunbae.’ Going off of that all of our actors, are really good sunbaes so I feel like I’ve met a good first group of people. It’s a good experience.Q. You were born in 1992, but you’re acting as 20-year-olds with Kim Sunggyoon who was born in 1979. What was your first impression?Baro: I really like the movie ‘Nameless Gangster.’ I watched it once recently and in it Cheonpo hyung was hitting someone with a wine bottle (laugh). When I first heard that the actor Kim Sunggyoon was casted, I didn’t know what role he was in. But after a while I learned that we were acting as similarly aged people. Wow, even if I think about it now it’s cool. Right, when I first saw him he was wearing a hat and glasses, and he looked really comfortable. His personality is really kind and caring. He ask ‘Baro, have you eaten?’ And Chilbong hyung. I saw ‘Architecture 101’ and ‘Gu’s Family Book’ and he didn’t play a bad character. Jungwoo hyung was in a movie that I had always liked, ‘Wish.’ I was a fan of Ara noona before too.Q. Didn’t Trash and Binggeurae have a chemistry that has gone beyond friendship? Ah, but it seemed like you were really good at expressing - should I say risky - the detailed feelings that he had about Trash, with a peculiar expression. What did the director tell you to do?Baro: I was just going off what I felt, but honestly it wasn’t clear what I had to do. Binggeurae’s sexuality wasn’t clear-cut, so I practiced and talked with the director a lot, and we came up with ‘I can’t like him too much, but I can’t not like him either.’ I kept thinking “What is this? Ah, I really don’t know,’, but the director said that it was perfect that way. That really made me anticipate our script. Everybody’s really curious about Binggeurae’s sexuality, and above all who Najeong’s husband. We, of course, are curious too.Q. From what I hear, the viewers always take the writers’ bait, and it seems like that the actors, because they don’t know either, take the bait that the writers throw (laugh).Baro: Oh, that’s right. There’s a lot of odd parts, and I think “Is this bait?’ (laugh) But as you’re acting and you don’t really know what’s going on, there are moments where you don’t know what to do. In my situation, his sexuality isn’t quite obvious and in the scene if I act one way it might seem like he’s obviously gay, but I act another way it might seem like he’s too cold, and that’s it’s just admiration. My homework was to grab the emotions inbetween those two, and for that Jungwoo hyung helped me a lot. In the earphone scene, if I didn’t react enough, he would say, ‘Do a little bit more.’Q. What are you hoping for, with Binggeurae and Trash?Baro: It would be nice if he wasn’t gay and it was just admiration. (If he is gay) It’s too expected. The funny thing is that the fans were fighting over what my sexuality was. They don’t have to fight, but it’s the fun in watching a drama.source: ten asia (1); (2)trans cr: afterJJyoung @AVIATEB1A4 / Take out with full credit to the sources and translator